Wash-board



- (ModeL) W. E. 'MGKINNON.

WASH BOARD. No .260, 699. Patented July 4,1882 7 5 w w I N. PETERS. PhcloLilhogflphen Washinginn 0.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. MCKINNON, OF BUENA VISTA, MISSISSIPPI.

WASH-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,699, dated July 4, 1882;

Application filed April 11,1882. (Model) To all whom ct may concern:

Be it known that I, WM. E. MGKINNON, of Buena Vista, in the county of Chickasaw and State of Mississippi, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Wash-Boards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inventions of which sheet project between the rollers of one set of rollers, so as to catch the soap and water.

It still further consists in suitable wires, which are woven back and forth around the ends of the rollers, and which are fastened to set-screws at the upper end of the board, so that any suitable tension may be brought to bear upon the rollers, and thus regulate the ease with which they will turn and the amount of force upon the clothes being pressed back and forth overthe rollers, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

It still further consists in providing the wash-board with removable feet, so that the boards can be lengthened or shortened and so they can be packed in shorter crates.

The object of my invention is to provide a wash-board which is provided with a corrugated plate for the purpose of holding the soap and water just under the rollers, so as to insure a constant supply and prevent any unnecessary waste of the soap, and at the same time regulate the ease with which the rollers shall turn.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

A represents a suitable frame, in which are 4 5 journaled the rollers B. These rollers may be made of wood, metal, or any other suitable material, and are provided with suitable bearin gs in the sides of the frame, so as to prevent the friction of the journals from injuring the frame. These journals are also provided with bent wires, forming a collar to receive the end wear of the rollers and to protect the sides of the frame from excessive wear, and so that the soap and water will not have the same chance to rot and injure the frame that they would have if there were simply holes made in the side of the frame to receive the journals in which the rollers turn.

Secured between the sides of the frameis the corrugated metal plate D, the edges of the corrugations being made to project a suitable distance up between the rollers, so as to form a trough or depression between each one of the rollers for the purpose of catching the soap and the water, and thus not only securing a constant supply to be worked into the clothes, but at the same time preventing an unnecessary waste of soap. This plate has its edges recessed in suitable grooves which are made in the inner sides of the frame, and the sides of the frame are then held rigidly in place by means of the cross-rods G, which extend through from side to side.

In order to regulate the ease with which the rollers are made to revolve, and thus regulate the amount of force upon the clothes, one or more wires, I, are passed back and forth around the ends of the rollers, as shown, and these wires have their upper ends connected to the screw-hooksO, which project up through the top of the frame. Suitable recesses are made through the upper portion of the frame, in which the hooked portions play back and forth, so as to allow the hooks any desired amount of play, and thus allow any desired amount of friction to be brought to bear upon the journals of the rollers. Any other suitable means may be used for tightening these wires, though only hooks are here shown for that purpose. When a suitable friction is brought to bear upon the journals of the rollersfby means of the wires it will be harder to make the rollers turn as the clothes are pressed back and forth over them, and hence a greater amount of force can be brought into play in cleaning the clothes. When the wires are re laxed the rollers will turn so easily that there will belittle or no friction upon the clothes, at the same time that they will receive enough of a shock or motion as they are moved back and forth to cleanse them of all dirt.

In order to lengthen and shorten the board,

and thus adapt it for use to tall and short persons, the feet R are made of separate pieces and attached to the lower part of the board, as shown. By means of these removable feet the board can be made longer or shorter, so as to adapt it to be more easily used by tall or short persons and to enable the boards to be packed in shorter crates or bundles. The lower ends of the side pieces of the board and the upper ends of the feet will be so shaped that the feet will be held rigidly in place while in use. These feet can he placed in between the upper parts of the boards when the boards are secured together in bundles or crates for transportation.

I am aware that a board having two rubbing-surfaces composed one of rollers and one of a corrugated sheet of metal is not new, and this I disclaim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a wash-board, the combination of the frame A, two rubbing-surfaces composed of rollers, and an intermediate corrugated sheet of metal, G, the rollers B being spaced sutficiently far apart to allow the corrugations of the sheet metal to project up between them, and thus form recesses or pockets to catch the soap and water, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the frame A, the rollers, the wires, and the tightening devices, substantiall y as described.

3. In a wash-board, the combination of the frame, the rollers, means for regulating the ease with which the rollers will revolve, and the corrugated metal plate which is placed under the rollers, so as to catch the soap and water, substantially as set forth.

4. In a wash-board, the combination of the frame A, having its lower ends shaped as shown, with the removable feet R, having their upper ends correspondingly shaped, and provided with studs or projections, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WV. E. MGKINNON.

WVitnesses:

G. 0. Ross, P. T. GEWIN. 

